COH and Parly headed for clash over MP free parkin...

COH and Parly headed for clash over MP free parking

Zim Now Reporter

The Harare City Council has pushed back against the move to exempt MPs from parking fees.

During a full council meeting on Friday, Ward 16 councillor Denford Ngadziore raised concerns over the move, stating that it had not been discussed or resolved by the council. He emphasised that the decision should be reversed, adding that only people with disabilities should be exempt from parking fees.

“We are told that MPs will no longer be required to pay parking fees in Harare’s central business district. As council, we are against the move, and this should be reversed at all costs. This decision was not even discussed by us councillors,” Ngadziore said.

Last week, Jacob Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly, announced that MPs would be entitled to exempt two vehicles from parking fees, which currently stand at US$1 per hour in Harare.

Ngadziore further highlighted the financial strain on the city, noting that many residents are struggling to pay parking fees, with some even having their vehicles auctioned due to unpaid fines. “We are eating from ratepayers’ money. Let’s discuss the matter; we can’t do this without a council resolution,” he added.

Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume acknowledged the concerns raised by Ngadziore, stating, “I have heard you, councillor Denford Ngadziore. We are looking into the matter.”

Currently, war veterans and senior citizens aged 70 and above are the only groups exempt from paying parking fees in Harare. The decision to extend this privilege to MPs has been met with resistance, as councillors argue that it sets a problematic precedent and undermines the city’s revenue collection efforts.

There are no readily available statistics on exact or approximate percentages or numbers of Harare residents who are Parliamentarians, War Veterans, disabled, or aged 70+.

It is estimated that Zimbabwe has 30,000 to 50,000 war veterans nationwide. According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics approximately 7% of Zimbabwe's population lives with a disability and this would suggest roughly 140,000 disabled residents in Harare.

Harare's 70+ population might be around 2-4% of the total, or approximately 40,000-80,000 people.

As not all of the people in the designated demographics own vehicles or need to park in the CBD often, it would be safe to assume that the amount the city authorities are losing to the exemptions are negligible.